Eternal Echoes

Chapter One Hundred- Nine: Lines Blurred

3rd Person POV

As Michaella stepped out of Damien Knight's towering office building, the cool evening air hit her like a wake-up call, and her thoughts swirled like a storm inside her mind. The city was alive around her, but it felt distant, almost like a backdrop to the chaos that had taken over her day. Paparazzi shots, the rumours, the unyielding attention... and Damien. His voice still echoed in her head, deep and commanding.

"Be ready in half an hour. I'll send my driver. It's safer."

Safer for who? Michaella thought, shaking her head. The power Damien wielded over every situation, the way he got what he wanted, it was magnetic, intoxicating even. But she wasn't about to fall under his spell so easily. No matter how tempting it felt.

Her phone buzzed in her hand, dragging her back to the present. A message from Sarah.

Sarah: You okay? The media's still going wild. Everyone's asking if the rumours are true.

Michaella exhaled, leaning against the sleek black car waiting for her at the curb. She typed quickly.

Michaella: I'm fine. Just leaving his office now. Let's not fuel the fire. No comments yet.

Sarah responded almost instantly.

Sarah: Understood. I'll keep an eye on things. Call me if you need anything.

Sliding into the backseat of Damien's car, she couldn't help but glance up at the towering glass building she had just left. The lingering weight of his presence was still on her, as if his words had seeped into her skin. He was powerful, yes, but he was more than that. There was a darkness to him, a side that felt dangerous but also exciting in a way that made her stomach flutter.

As the car pulled away, her phone buzzed again. This time, it wasn't Sarah. It was Elijah.

Elijah: Hey, heard some news. Are you okay?

Michaella bit her lip. Elijah always knew when something was up. She called him instead of texting back.

"Hey," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Michaella, what's going on?" Elijah's voice was laced with concern. "I saw the photos... everyone's talking about it. Are the rumours real?"

She sighed. "It's... complicated, Elijah. I didn't plan for this to happen."

"Of course you didn't. But is this something you want? You know, a few days ago you said you're not ready."

"I don't know," she admitted, her voice dropping. "He's... I don't even know how to explain it. He's different. He's intense, but I can't deny that I feel something around him. It's not what you think, though."

Elijah was silent for a moment, then he said, "Just be careful, Michaella. People like him—they play a different game."

"I know. I won't let myself get lost in it. I promise." She hung up, feeling the weight of his words settle over her.

The car arrived at her apartment, and as she stepped out, she couldn't shake the conversation with Elijah. Damien was a world she wasn't used to—power, wealth, control. Everything about him screamed danger, but in the same breath, it whispered seduction.

Once inside, Michaella tossed her bag onto the couch and stood in front of her bedroom mirror, studying her reflection. Her mind wandered to Damien's last words, his promise to wait, but also his insistence that he wasn't a man who enjoyed waiting. She had held her ground with him, but she couldn't deny the pull she felt.

The next day, Sarah called her early in the morning.

"Good morning, Michaella. I hate to bring this up so early, but the tabloids are going crazy. The rumour mill is in overdrive. It's not just your fans now; everyone's speculating."

Michaella rubbed her temple, feeling the weight of the situation. "What do they think? Are they making it worse?"

"Definitely," Sarah replied. "Some think you're the next 'It Couple.' Others are criticizing, questioning if it's just a fling or worse—a publicity stunt."

Michaella sighed. "I need to clear this up, but I don't want to feed the frenzy, and Damien said he will handle it. Can you at least release a statement—something simple? I don't want to dive into details. Just enough to calm things down."

"I've got you," Sarah reassured her. "I'll handle it."

As the day dragged on, Michaella couldn't help but think about Damien. His control, his confidence—it was unnerving how he always seemed to get what he wanted. And yet, she hadn't given in. She was holding her own, despite the world's assumptions.

That evening, as she relaxed with a glass of wine, her phone rang. It was Damien.

"Michaella," his voice was smooth, like silk over steel. "Have you seen the news?"

"I have," she replied, trying to keep her tone even.

"Then you know what they're saying about us," he said, his voice laced with amusement. "Are you bothered?"

She hesitated. "I'm not used to this kind of attention, Damien. The rumours are wild."

"I told you, this comes with being close to me. It's part of the game."

"I don't want to play games," Michaella said firmly, but her voice faltered when she remembered the way he looked at her last night, his eyes dark and intent.

"I don't either," Damien replied, a hint of a challenge in his tone. "But I'm not the kind of man who backs down, Michaella. I want you, and I won't apologize for that. So, tell me, do I need to keep waiting?"

She paused, her breath catching. The tension between them was palpable, and for the first time, she felt herself wavering. But Michaella wasn't going to let him sweep her off her feet that easily.

"I'm not someone who's going to be won over with grand gestures or power plays, Damien," she said, her voice steady now. "If you want me, you're going to have to prove it's more than just another chase for you."

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line, then Damien's deep chuckle resonated through the phone. "You're a hard woman to crack, Michaella. But I like a challenge. I'll be seeing you soon."

The call ended, leaving Michaella sitting there, heart racing. Damien Knight was playing for keeps, but so was she. The one thing she knew would help her so much is running, she changed her clothes, put on workout clothes, and went running.

With one question kept echoing in her mind, what does Gabrielle think about the rumours?! But for the first time in a long time, Michaella felt alive caught between the fire of Damien's pursuit and the cold remnants of her past with Gabrielle. Whatever came next, she knew one thing for sure—she wasn't going to let anyone take control of her story but herself.

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That's intense!!!!